Minnesota man accused of dismembering wife with saw

This photo provided by the Ramsey County Sheriff shows Steven R. Johnson, who authorities say shot his wife in the head, used a saw to cut her body into pieces, then hid the remains in plastic bins in his friend's garage. (AP Photo/Ramsey County Sheriff)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A Minnesota man was charged Wednesday with shooting his wife after an argument, sawing her body into pieces and hiding her remains in plastic bins in a friend's garage.

Steven Roger Johnson, 34, of St. Paul, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Manya Jewel Johnson, 32. According to the criminal complaint, Johnson admitted that he killed his wife on Sunday after she told him she was leaving and taking the couple's 18-month-old son with her.

Johnson allegedly told police he had been drinking when he shot his wife in the head and "used a saw to dismember her body in the shower and he placed her in several plastic bins," the complaint said. Johnson said he then cleaned up his home to hide any evidence and took the bins to his friend's garage in the St. Paul suburb of White Bear Lake.

The friend didn't know what had happened until Johnson told him later, and the friend called authorities.

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Johnson was in custody Wednesday and unavailable for comment. It was unclear if he had an attorney.

According to the charges, St. Paul police went to the Johnson home Monday to check on Manya Johnson. When officers arrived, they were told that White Bear Lake police had received a call from Johnson's friend, who reported that Johnson told him Manya Johnson was dead and her body was in the garage.

While St. Paul police were at Johnson's home, he showed up with a woman who worked with Manya Johnson, and they told police they were looking for Manya. Johnson told police he had left his job to look for his wife after getting a text message saying she hadn't shown up for work.

Manya's co-worker and Johnson told police they found her car at a park-and-ride lot.

As an officer was talking with Johnson, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension called the officer and said authorities had found the dismembered body.

Johnson was then arrested, the complaint said.

"This horrific crime is an unfortunate example of how quickly domestic violence can turn into homicide," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement.

Johnson was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1996, after he and an accomplice allegedly handcuffed a woman in a car and raped her. Authorities alleged Johnson threatened to kill the woman and claimed he had a gun.